Thursday, April 20, 2017

There comes a time in every man's life, who has multiple children, when he must build bunk-beds. That time came years ago, but now it's here again. In 2009 I built two sets of bunk-beds for the boys. They've stood the test of time and I believe will continue to do so. However, since 2009 we've added 3 more children two of which are boys. So, we now have 6 boys who need to sleep somewhere.

Poor Daniel (7) has been sleeping on a futon mattress folded over and placed in the bottom of a closet. Think giant dog mattress.

Add to that the fact that in June we'll be housing 20 children and 8 adults for a week (go ahead and read that again if you need to) and I found the drive to add more beds.

These beds will be very different from the previous design and they'll be designed by dad and built by the boys. The frame is 40"x 77" with a support in the middle and made with 2x6 lumber.

On the bottom of each frame we've stapled and glued a 1/4" OSB (not Order of Saint Benedict) board. On the top we'll have 15/16" plywood. The plywood will be hinged allowing for it to be lifted and revealing two 37x40x6 storage compartments for all the junk these pack-rats collect.

Frames(L) waiting on paint and lids.

Two work crews working round the clock..

Always allow children to paint outdoors, never indoors.

The child on the right was fired shortly after this picture was taken..he doesn't have time for "thumb's up"...

When all of the painting is done, the beds will be carried upstairs to the bedroom. They will then be attached to the wall and supported by 2x4's that will act as support and ladders. We'll also be fishing the walls and installing outlets at each bed level for a fan, light, etc., and a shelf.

The room isn't large enough to place 3 bunks one on top of another nor is it long enough to put beds end to end. We'll be mounting them to the wall staggering them. It's too difficult for me to describe so you'll just need to wait for the pictures...read on....

Thursday, April 13, 2017

We'll be giving away this wonderful 1st Communion Gift Package on Divine Mercy Sunday. Get details and enter on our homepage. Look for the little "WIN" logo on the top right of your screen when you get there....Good Luck!

FROM THE SAINTS - "These things are written that we bear not malice towards those who injure us; but rebuke them and weep for them; for the fit subjects of weeping are not they who suffer, but they who do the wrong. The grasping man, the false accuser, and whoso works any other evil thing, do themselves the greatest injury, and us the greatest good, if we do not avenge ourselves. Such a case as this: some one has robbed you; have you given thanks for the injury, and glorified God? by that thanksgiving you have gained ten thousand rewards, just as he has gathered for himself fire unspeakable. [...] Wherefore Christ also repaid him who was about to betray Him with everything opposite. He washed his feet, convicted him secretly, rebuked him sparingly, tended him, allowed him to share His table and His kiss, and not even by these was he made better; nevertheless (Christ) continued doing His own part." - St. John Chrysostom Hom. on St. John #71

Monday, April 10, 2017

I recently gave a parish mission and one of the topics covered confession with special emphasis on the value of frequent confession. While studying in preparation I discovered this wonderful quote from the Catechism of the Catholic Church: 1863 Venial sin weakens charity; it manifests a disordered affection for created goods; it impedes the soul's progress in the exercise of the virtues and the practice of the moral good; it merits temporal punishment. Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin. However venial sin does not break the covenant with God. With God's grace it is humanly reparable. "Venial sin does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, friendship with God, charity, and consequently eternal happiness."
This quote helped me to realize what venial sin does to me. It helped me realize the value of frequent confession. If I put off confession for too long, my goodwill becomes "impeded" and I become disposed "little by little to commit mortal sin."

I liken this to a garden. Our souls are gardens, virtues are the fruit bearing plants, and the weeds are sin. If I we are careful to keep watch over our souls (garden) we can remove the weeds when they are small and easy to remove. At the same time we must feed and water the plants. We must foster growth in the virtues and be sure they receive enough sun (Son). When we neglect the soul for too long, the weeds (sins) have a chance to take root and they become more and more difficult to remove. Long periods of neglect make it nearly impossible to distinguish the plants from the weeds. Yet we must never despair. Even if our garden has long been neglected and the soil become hard and the thorns overgrown, Christ can help us to start again. It may be more difficult than when we first began but it is possible to cultivate a beautiful garden (soul) no matter how neglected it may be.

In today's Gospel we are given a picture of what a soul looks like that is falling to neglect. We see a man whose "little" sins are more and more disposing him to commit the ultimate sin; to betray the Son of Man.

Judas, no doubt began with a good heart. Surely Jesus had a great love for Judas to choose him as a close follower. Yet Judas allowed himself to be overrun by his love for money even to the point of seeing the hidden value in the apparent "waste" of the expensive nard. As Bishop Fulton J. Sheen once said, "[Judas]knows the price of everything and the value of nothing." His growing greed impeded his growth in Christ. By saying yes to himself each time he took a little from the "money bag" he found that he could not say no to himself when the ultimate temptation came but instead said, "What will you give me if I deliver him to you?"

Let us therefore run to Christ and confess often even those little things before they become unmanageable and take root. Otherwise we too may be more and more disposed to betray Our Friend with a kiss.

FROM THE SAINTS - "While he is in the flesh, man cannot help but have at least some light sins. But do not despise these sins which we call "light": if you take them for light when you weigh them, tremble when you count them. A number of light objects makes a great mass; a number of drops fills a river; a number of grains makes a heap. What then is our hope? Above all, confession." - Saint Augustine

Monday, April 03, 2017

It was a nice weekend this weekend and nice to finally have two days off in a row. On Saturday I took the two oldest on a hike at The Great Seal State Park near Chillicothe. It was a group of dads, boys, and Fr. Hahn. It was the second in a series of hikes designed to prepare us for a Wilderness Outreach trip to California in August.

We hike a little over 8 miles on a dreary, rainy, Saturday. Overall it was good hike even if it was a little cold.

This baby creeped nearly everyone out but we persevered to the end...

Here's a map of our trek. I think we could have done it faster but it's not always about the speed. Not sure why not, but it's not ;-).

We went to Confession and Mass after the hike on Saturday evening and then settled in for a movie. Most of the family watched a movie, I was beat so I went to bed.

On Sunday, we got up and had pancakes, eggs, and our bacon. Then we headed out to the Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve near Newark, OH. It's a nice place but crowded. I think there is a lot more to explore but it's difficult when you have such an age range and skill level.

D climbing a giant root/trunk.

B enjoying the day and a sweet ride.

This narrow passage used to hold a train track that carted milled sand away for glass making.

Back home there were chores to do. Even S & B worked hard to get things done before enjoying an evening fire and hotdogs.